


La philosophie du lac par Eliza

by listlessness



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Cunnilingus, F/F, F/M, French Philosophy, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Multi, Sibling Incest, Take A Break divergent, Threesome - F/F/M, Undernegotiated incest, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:27:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26294866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/listlessness/pseuds/listlessness
Summary: Time has put physical distance between Angelica and Eliza, but a summer by the lake is sure enough to remedy that- even in spite of Alexander's absence. It's a period that stretches and distorts, and Angelica is certain that nothing can ever drive them apart again. She ought to know by now that Alexander has always been an erratic force in their relationship.
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/Angelica Schuyler/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Angelica Schuyler/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12
Collections: RelationShipping 2020





	La philosophie du lac par Eliza

**Author's Note:**

  * For [plutonianshores](https://archiveofourown.org/users/plutonianshores/gifts).



> This is written for [PlutionianShores](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/plutonianshores/works) as part of the RelationShipping 2020 exchange. I didn't expect to write so much - I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> A quick note, this is set in an alternate 'Take A Break' universe. I've made reference only to canonical siblings and children of all parties, though I understand there were more Hamiltons and Schuylers running about. This also happens to be my first Hamilton fic, so I hope you enjoy it :)

The heat from the sun was blissful. The heat soaked into the cotton of the cream-hued shift, across her bare arms and legs, and across her face that was only partly covered with a wide-brimmed hat. So many people would complain about summer and long for cooler days where they could huddle in front of a burning fire and sip hot tea, but Angelica had always preferred summer. She already dreaded returning to London come the start of fall. 

Beside her, Eliza gave a small sigh and drew her legs up closer, under the protective shade of her parasol. The shadows had grown short as the day reached its apex, and her dearest sister had moved hour to hour, chasing shade. Unlike Angelica, Eliza had always preferred the cold. She would burn and peel from the sun, and even now she tugged her shift down over knees, hiding as much of her skin as possible. 

Despite encourage her beloved sister to retreat to the safety of the house, Eliza had refused. There were only so many hours in the day and so many days left of the summer to which she could spend with her elder sister. If that meant she had to sit in the sun and huddle under gauzy sheets and wave a fan, then so be it. 

'We can go inside together,' Angelica said gently, capturing Eliza's hand within her own. 

'No. I cherish the hours alone with you more.' 

Angelica's heart twisted at that, because it wasn't something she'd ever admit to herself. She adored her family, and she missed them terribly while in London, but her heart ached for Eliza the most. 

Where Angelica had been perspicacious and Peggy capricious, Eliza had been steady and stable. She had been the binding force between them, and the very earth beneath Angelica's feet. Moving to London hadn't just been a change in continent; she felt as though the very core of her being had been torn asunder and her very marrow was bleeding through her. 

'You're turning pink, dear Eliza,' Angelica said, tugging up the sleeve of Eliza's shift so it covered her shoulder more. 'You'll be sore tomorrow morning.' 

'Just a little longer,' Eliza replied as sweetly as ever. 'Let's wade through the water once more, and then turn in.' 

Although Angelica was going to dispute her request (even now, both married and their lives heading down separate paths, she wasn't afraid to use the older sister line), she found her resolve fracturing at the gentle smile thrown her way by Eliza. She sighed, shook her head, but found herself plucking the parasol from Eliza's hand and helping her stand. They'd walk long enough to cool down, and then Angelica would insist on turning in, if only for her beloved sister's complexion. 

* 

As expected and forewarned, Eliza's skin was blotchy and pink by sunset. Angelica did her best to avoid scolding her, but she still turned to young Philip and whispered loud enough for Eliza to hear that this was what happened when he didn't stay in the shade. Though Eliza eyed her from across the room, she didn't immediately refute her, either. What good was being an older sister, Angelica theorised, if she couldn't make such astute and obvious observations? 

That evening, after she had had a cool buttermilk bath to soothe her burns, Eliza stretched out on her stomach atop her bed. Her nightgown, a cool shift made of thin muslin, was pulled down to her mid-back, her arms freed to fold under her face. Angelica sat beside her, carefully dabbing oatmeal over the worst her skin. She may be able to avoid peeling, though it would be a tender few days. 

With a clean pinky finger, Angelica caught a few stray locks of Eliza's dark hair and carefully drew it over her shoulder. Ensuring she wasn't about to cause a mess, Eliza reached back and grabbed her hair in a ponytail, tucking it safely out of the way. 

'Alexander doesn't do this nearly as gently as you,' she remarked, mostly to herself. 'Perhaps it's for the best he didn't come this summer.' 

Despite her melancholy words, any lingering bitterness had long since vanished. The two of them had talked it over heatedly the first few days, with Angelica leading the anger and vitriol. Eliza, as usual, had taken a more empathetic approach. Alexander truly was busy, she had argued, and both creating and running a government was a constant job. Building a country didn't allow for weekends and summers. 

But her sister was hurt, and it wasn't limited to a superficial burn upon her fair skin. Angelica could feel it, as she swiped oatmeal over the reddened line between her shoulder blades that matched that morning's shift. She didn't envy Alexander's position any (and, if anything, she was proud of her brother-in-law's achievements), but Eliza should always have come first. In Angelica's world she did. 

'He's allowed his faults,' Angelica finally said, rubbing the oatmeal up higher, to the back of Eliza's neck. 

She did her best to remain delicate with her words. Although her dearest sister had matured during her marriage and motherhood, Angelica still saw her as the lovestruck girl she had been so many years ago. 

'I'm going to clean up,' Angelica said gently, as the last of the oatmeal was applied. 

Eliza nodded, her head moving faintly against her hands. As she stood, Angelica watched her, taking in her turned head, the small rise and fall of her back as she breathed in gently. She could still read her sister as easily as a book; all her life, Angelica had believed that their hearts beat in time, and she still believed that. Even with an ocean between them, all she had to do was lay a hand upon her breast and she felt herself at Eliza's side. That hadn't changed. Though, now, it seemed as though something had changed between them. 

When she returned, her hands washed and her hair wrapped up in a silk cloth, Eliza had pulled her nightgown back up, over her delicate shoulders. She still lay upon her stomach, though she had created a boundary along her left side of pillows to prevent her from rolling over. 

Though they had grown into adults and hadn't shared a bedroom since their youth, the pair still found themselves sleeping under the same blanket during the summer. Heat nor age could change that, and in this regard, Angelica was almost grateful for Alexander's absence. She and her sister could whisper secrets and stories in the dark, with their hands clutched together, much as they had as girls. 

The mood was far more sombre than she had expected, though, when she entered the darkened bedroom. Each candle was snuffed as she approached her sister. She held her own nightgown up when she climbed into the large bed, the sheets soft and falling over her as she pulled in beside her sister. Despite the humidity of the evening, she let Eliza drape an arm over middle. Her face nuzzled into Angelica's shoulder as she huffed quietly. 

Silence descended between them, though crickets continued to chirp outside and there was a gentle rustle of night birds in the trees outside. This was uncommon, but not entirely rare. 

Until enough time passed, and Angelica thought Eliza had fallen asleep, when she felt a small shift beside her. 

'Angelica?' 

'Eliza?' 

Their voices were a whisper in the dark, much like their girlhood years. Her tone was serious and thoughtful. 

'Do you think Alexander is distracted for reasons beyond his congressional plan?' 

Though she hadn't elaborated, Angelica could pick up what she was inferring. Her breath caught in her chest, and she felt Eliza's cool hand squeeze around her own as she dared to imagine a truth she couldn't even speak. Angelica let her clutch at her hand, despite the tightness of her grip and the pressure at which she held on. 

'Then he is a fool, my love, and not nearly as intelligent or clever than the world believes him to be.' 

Leaning over, Angelica pressed a kiss to Eliza's temple. There was a small sniff from her sister, and she wiped her face on the pillow beneath. Despite being so deeply in touch with her emotions, Eliza had never been fond of anyone seeing her cry, even her sisters, and she would shy away and find a small and dark room to hide away in. Even now, Angelica pretended as though she hadn't noticed, and merely lay back down upon her own pillow. She kept her arm around Eliza, low on her back to avoid her sunburn, and held her until she fell asleep. 

* 

The morning brought with it a fresh wave of heat, along with dry cheeks and skin that was less pink. After insisting they take young Philip for a walk along the shoreline and refusing to take no for an answer, Eliza allowed Angelica to drape a shawl over her head and to tie it around her shoulders as a compromise. 

'Don't say I didn't tell you so,' Angelica said, lightly tapping her sister on the nose, in a gesture Eliza had done to both her and the younger Peggy. 

Although Eliza had never been the kind to deliberate roll her eyes, she did raise them up to the ceiling, took a deep breath in through her nose, and shook her head. Any tears from the night before had been forgotten, and Angelica was uncertain if and how she ought to bring it up. Secrets were a strange thing to hold between them, and Angelica never felt comfortable keeping any from her. Her deepest, most hidden secret was kept deep down in her chest, and its weight felt like a constant punishment that she deserved. 

The days that followed were as slow and lazy as Angelica had dreamt they would be. The heat and humidity sent the days into a languorous crawl, but one which she didn't mind. They found a rhythm for the days, evenly split for their temperaments. Eliza would join Angelica on the sandy shore of the lake, where she'd sit under a tree or a parasol and read a book, the cover of which she'd hide behind a shawl or sheet. By the height of day, they'd return inside, to quench their thirst and cool off. There would be more books that Eliza would devour, and though Angelica teased her and attempted to goad her into revealing their titles so the two of them could gossip and share their opinions, Eliza would refuse to budge. 

'You're starting to make me think you're reading something not intended for polite society,' Angelica teased after lunch. 

'It's taken you that long?' Eliza replied, with a crooked smile. 

Angelica could only laugh. She could picture Peggy flirting and teasing male company, but her dearest Eliza was sweet and softly spoken. Instead of filth, it was likely a low-brow pamphlet she had picked up some place, a penny dreadful that she had hidden behind the bindings of a book to hide its true contents. 

And though her curiousity burned and itched at her, Eliza never gave her the satisfaction of providing her with any details of her fascinating read. She'd merely close the book in her face with a barking laugh, stuff it under her shawl or loose cotton blanket or even under the cushion on which she sat and refused to budge. 

She could have gone searching for the book herself, in the few hours Eliza left her alone and went into town with Philip. Yet the novelty of there being a secret- a game, even- between the two of them kept Angelica on her toes. She would find out eventually. It was the sort of delicious game only the two of them could play. 

* 

It was a Friday morning, and Angelica found their quiet, peaceful rhythm finally broken. They were by the shore, Angelica's feet burrowed in the sand as she leant against the trunk of a tree. Eliza lay stretched out on the sand, her head resting upon Angelica's lap as she read one of her forbidden books. She had taken the paper cover off a more savoury title and hidden what she read. Both of them were soaked from their morning's play in the lake, and their shifts had partly dried. Angelica twirled a lock of hair around her finger and tugged it down, before watching it spring up. In her other hand, she held Eliza's parasol, opened to shade her face as she read. 

'Mama, mama- ' 

Young Philip came barrelling down, across the grassy path and towards the edge of the lake. Upon hearing her name called out in such fevered tones, Eliza sat upright, sending the book falling into her lap. 

'Philip- ' 

'Daddy's here, Mama!' 

And there, as though he hadn't missed a day, was Alexander, walking across the lawn from their father's house. He had the air of a man who had travelled all night, and Angelica reasoned he very well must have. Dishevelled clothes, his hair as messed as it had been during the war. A smile was already apparent on his face, and it only grew wider as Philip went tearing back to him, running over until he leapt with all the might of a nine-year-old boy in his waiting father's arms. 

Eliza shrieked. Her piercing cry caused Angelica to wince as the book was tossed aside and she was jumping up onto her feet. Although the book was all but forgotten, Angelica didn't bother to peer at the title. She merely picked it up, dusted it off, and set it down. She moved slower, taking her time getting to her feet as her sister embraced her exhausted husband and kissed him as a welcome. 

Picking up 

'You're late,' she said, as she finally approached. 

In front of her, she held the parasol. She twirled it one way and then the next, all in an attempt to cover her modesty a little. Eliza had been too wrapped up in her excitement to care so much, but Angelica felt it indecent to not have some propriety in front of her brother-in-law. Philip had already run off, calling out to the household staff that his father had finally arrived. 

Alexander passed her a glance over Eliza's shoulder. His arms were wrapped around his wife, and for the first time he seemed to notice she was wet. Her looked at Angelica and her sodden shift, and his gaze lingered for a beat too long. He finally lifted his head up, the corners of his mouth twitching. 

'Delayed,' he corrected. 'But here at last.' 

Spinning the parasol around in her hand, Angelica smiled blandly at Alexander as he turned back to Eliza. Dark circles ringed his eyes and sheer exhaustion permeated from him. She knew that look on him, even after so much time had separated them. How many hours had he stayed awake, finishing his plan for congress? How much time had he spent, rereading and revising his words, all in an effort to get it past those who would turn away anything that held his signature? 

Although Angelica longed to stay there, watching her two favourite people embrace, she knew it was best to let them reunite on their own. Besides that, Alexander was also trying to keep his eyes firmly planted away from Angelica, who kept twirling the parasol in front of herself to hide her slowly-drying chemise. 

'It's good to see you again, Alexander. I'll let you two be,' Angelica said with a warm smile to Eliza, before bowing her head. 'I'll make sure Philip hasn't terrorised the cook into preparing a banquet for your return.' 

Eliza grinned and Alexander laughed, but Angelica knew there was a slight possibility of it happening. She stepped around them, nodded once more, and set the parasol upon her shoulder as she headed back up to the house. 

* 

As the sun began to set on their heat-drenched day, Angelica volunteered to collect her sister and brother-in-law for dinner. She had seen only a whisper of them throughout the day, their heads bowed together and hands clasped tight together. Alexander had kissed Eliza's knuckles more than once, his hands clasped over hers in the manner he did when he was asking something from her. Forgiveness, perhaps, for his folly for not coming up with them right away. 

By the time the table was being set for their evening meal, the pair had disappeared. Angelica ushered her niece and nephew into preparing themselves for dinner, and she went to find the reunited couple. She had a good idea as to where the two of them had scurried off, and she didn't wish to expose the children to it. 

She knew what to expect, even as she approached her sister's bedroom door. Silent as a mouse, she approached, and pressed her hand to the heavy, dark wood. Then, leaning in close, she pressed her ear to the door. 

Her sister, soft and sweet as ever. Eliza's plaintive voice was gasping on the other side, the lightest and plaintive of noises, only recognisable because Angelica knew her sister better than anyone. And Alexander, rougher and coarser, a gravelly tone that Angelica had only ever heard when he had had one too many beers with his dinner. Though she didn't think he'd imbibed it during the day, she supposed he was drunk on something quite different now; lust, the carnal feeling between a man and wife, long separated. 

Angelica stood there, pressing against the door. Her hand slid over the wood, nails pressing in as she dared to allow herself a moment to close her eyes and listen in. Fornication with her husband was methodical, almost medical in a way. It felt more like an agreement between friends that served a necessary, if dull, purpose. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, and Angelica long believed that her husband got as much satisfaction from it as she did. 

She didn't think she'd ever sounded much like Eliza did right then, nor did her husband, who was still in London, ever sounded like Alexander. 

Breathing in deeply, her brow moving to press against the door, she stood and waited. The breathless sounds from within were slowing. 

She took several steps back, until she was back down the corridor. Counting back from ten, she strode forward, louder than before. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor. With purpose, she knocked on the door, and called inside. 

'Supper's about to be served, when you're ready to join us,' she called. Her voice only wavered a little; she could be proud of that. 

* 

Eliza came to her that night. Angelica had retreated to her bedroom without fault or complaint. Though she missed her sister's company as she lay in the large, empty bed by herself, she wouldn't even think to ask them to sleep apart on their first night back. 

She washed up and read a little, before finally snuffing the candle by her bed and laying her head down upon her pillow. Her eyes had only just closed when she heard her door click open gently. It shut just as softly, and there was a quick padding of feet across the floor. Angelica recognised her sister by the sound of her gentle running alone. She leapt upon the bed in a tangle of her gauzy nightgown and loose hair and quickly scrambled to get under the sheets. 

'You weren't asleep, were you?' she asked when she'd nestled in beside Angelica. Her voice was a whisper. 

'You were lucky I wasn't,' Angelica replied, in the same low hush. 

Under the sheet, Eliza sought out her hand. Their fingers threaded together as they pulled in closer together. Eliza felt faintly of rose petals, a perfume Angelica knew she only wore in her husband's presence, and, underneath that, Alexander's own muskiness. Despite her desire to press her nose to Eliza's temple and breathe in, she held back. 

'Why are you here? Shouldn't you be beside your husband?' 

'I wanted to see you,' Eliza replied. After a moment's silence, she reconsidered her words. 'I _needed_ to see you.' 

'Eliza?' 

The grip around her hand was adjusted, and Angelica shifted closer. She was pressed in close to her sister, their legs entangled as she listened to Eliza sigh. 

'There was a woman,' Eliza began softly. 'She approached him one evening. Sought his help, asked him for more than just money.' 

Lifting her arm, Angelica began to brush Eliza's hair off her brow. She tucked locks behind her ear, blindly searching in the dark for strands to pull off her face. The burn on her skin had faded into patches of pink, but she could still feel heat radiating off the spots that had been most effected. 

'Eliza- he didn't?' 

'No. Temptation didn't draw him in.' 

'And you believe him?' 

Silence fell between them. Angelica stretched out her thumb, finding the top of Eliza's jaw. She swept up, catching her earlobe, and then traced along the shell of her ear. Eliza had always been ticklish there, and though she'd often done it as a teasing action, she now did it as a form of comfort. Whatever pain her sister was going through, she wanted her to know that she'd be there for her. 

'I've decided to, yes,' she finally said, voice low. 'He came. He said that though he was sorely tempted to follow through, he realised he needed his family more. You know how proud Alexander is, Angelica. You know how difficult it is for him to admit fault, particularly when he has little to gain from it. Why would he admit such a thing, when he knew it could hurt me so?' 

No answer was forthcoming from Angelica. She could only let her hand rest at the base of Eliza's scalp, her thumb rubbing back and forth as she chewed over this sliver of information. She hoped for all their sake that Alexander was telling the truth. 

* 

Although neither of them had planned for it to happen, Angelica awoke to Eliza in her arms. Her younger sister's head was nuzzled under her chin, a soft hand wrapped around the neckline of her nightgown. Daylight spilled out through the gauzy curtains of the bedroom, and the heat of the day had yet to reach them. 

The household staff had already awoken; if she concentrated, she could hear little Philip running about and asking for breakfast. Angelica was reluctant to awake Eliza, though, particularly when she sighed in her sleep and pressed in closer. 

Closing her eyes, Angelica let her lips brush across Eliza's temple. Her hand stroked lightly, over the back of her head, down her hair and to the middle of her back. She coaxed her forward, letting their legs tangle together as Eliza gave another sigh in her sleep. 

Despite both being grown and married, a fierce protectiveness still overcame Angelica whenever she considered Eliza. To be fair, she was also just as defensive of Peggy, but Eliza had always had a far more delicate constitution. Compassion and empathy came first for her, unlike Peggy's cheekiness and Angelica's abrasive wit. She carried her heart on her sleeve, and it was always ever so full. 

In her arms, Eliza began to stir. She shook her head, her brow and nose rubbing against Angelica's head, and she yawned loudly. Angelica loosened her grip as she stretched, but Eliza gave a mumble of displeasure and wrapped an arm tightly around her. 

'What time is it?' Eliza asked, her voice thick and full of sleep. 

'Philip has been asking for his breakfast.' 

'Ah. Daybreak, then. He takes after his father, that one.' 

'And little Angie?' 

Eliza laughed and rubbed her face once more against Angelica's chest. 'So far, she is all you. I'm not sure what's more worrisome.' 

Joining her sister in soft laughter, Angelica eased onto her back. Her arm had become numb during the night, as the pair of them had fallen asleep in each other's arms, and she'd been loathe to move. Even now, as she stretched out her muscles and nestled back into the pillow and mattress, Eliza slid up to rest her head upon Angelica's chest. Her fingers ran along the lace that decorated her décolletage, her nail catching along it. 

There was a gentle knock on the door, a six-beat count that Angelica had long associated with Alexander. She turned her head to Eliza, who peered up at her. Their eyes met, and Eliza gave a small nod. 

'Come in,' Angelica called, as Eliza moved to sit upright. 

The door opened, and Alexander stuck his head around. He was still dressed in his nightshirt, which struck Angelica was mildly amusing. A small sniff of laughter came from her, to which Eliza subtly elbowed her for, square in the ribs. 

'I was looking for my wife,' he said to Angelica. Then, nodding at Eliza, 'was I talking in my sleep?' 

'Only every night for the past three years.' She, too, looked up at Angelica. 'It's better than the snoring.' 

Alexander still stood in the doorway. Angelica's gaze had barely left him, even as Eliza settled against the pillows and took hold of her hand. She leant over and patted the empty side of the mattress beside her, squeezing Angelica's hand as she did so. 

'Come. Join us. We're only enjoying the morning before the children realise we're awake.' 

Alexander hesitated, before Angelica nodded in agreement. She hadn't realised that that was what they were doing, though, she supposed, in many ways Alexander was also a child. Eager, excitable, prone to irritation and flights of fancy. And, much as Eliza had said the previous night, he was incredibly proud and reluctant to put himself in a position of being ridiculed. Seeing him now, in his nightshirt and bare feet, she wondered if this was a rather bizarre form of self-flagellation. He'd already confessed his sins to Eliza- was he, perhaps, doing the same for Angelica now? 

As he climbed onto the bed, Eliza fussed with the sheets with one hand and pulled them up, over Alexander's legs. Angelica watched quietly, one of her hands still captured by Eliza's cool grip. Once settled, Alexander pressed a kiss to her cheek, then her bare shoulder. Eliza returned the gesture with a gentle press of her lips to the corner of his mouth. 

'My two favourite people,' she sighed, turning back to Angelica with a wistful smile. 'Just as it should be.' 

She pulled both of their hands onto her lap. Her head fell upon Angelica's shoulder, much where it had been before, and with a firm tug on his hand, she encouraged Alexander to lean against her. A comfortable silence descended between the three of them, despite how surreal the situation felt. Angelica had once longed for something like this- both herself in bed with Alexander, and Eliza being in bed with him. And, somewhere in between it all, she had wanted to be the only one to share Eliza's bed, to have their childhood rituals extend throughout adulthood. 

And now here she was, somehow experiencing all three of those wishes at once. 

'Angelica,' Alexander said carefully, his tone level. 'My wife said you had to help her with her burns.' 

'I've always done it better than you.' 

'You probably always will.' 

'I'd expect nothing less from a Schuyler sister.' 

Between them, Eliza laughed, her voice a little low and breathless. The sound of it coaxed a smile onto Angelica's lips, and when she dared look over, she saw Alexander, his mouth pressed to the side of Eliza's neck, his shoulders shaking in mirth. 

* 

The dynamic of their days changed with Alexander now in the household. Angelica supposed it was somewhat inevitable. Eliza had her beloved husband back, the children had their father once again to entertain them, and Angelica found herself inevitably stepping aside to avoid being pulled into his irresistible vortex. She longed to enquire about his near-dalliance, but Eliza had whispered those words to her under the veil of sisterly secrets, and she knew to bite her tongue. Even so, it only took a few cautionary looks from Alexander and a small question about how they had passed their days for her to realise that he knew she was aware of his almost-indiscretion. 

The mornings were no longer spent by the lake, dressed to nothing but her shift. Eliza's head no longer rest upon her lap, the shade from the trees were no longer chased until her sister admitted defeat and they returned to the house. So, too, did they no longer spend the afternoons reading together, or walking the gardens with the children in tow. Evenings were spent catching one another up over dinner and games of charades with Alexander, and Angelica would retire early to her bedroom alone. 

There was no reason for her to avoid Eliza and Alexander as she did. She could speak to them both individually. Eliza would grab her hand and pull her close, as she always did, begging her to accompany them into town or for a walk around the lake. So, too, did she banter and argue with Alexander, the pair of them laughing over breakfast. 

But something unnameable and strange panged within Angelica whenever she was engaged with both of them. 

'Angelica, my dear,' Eliza said one morning, a week after Alexander's arrival, and kissing her cheek hello. 'I was thinking we should escape to the lake this morning. It doesn't seem to be so unbearably hot today.' 

'That would be wonderful- ' Angelica started, her heart surging at the prospect of having a few hours alone with Eliza once more. 

'Alexander has something he'd like you to read over. I can have him bring it with us. You know I love hearing you read.' 

Within seconds, Angelica's heart gave another peculiar twist. The image of Eliza, floating on her back in the lake in her sheer chemise faded into one of Alexander, dressed in his nightshirt and filling her doorway. Both of them bare legged and bashful, both of them in a state of dress so rarely witnessed by another. 

It shifted then, as Eliza squeezed her hand, a smile on her lips that may have been read as mischievous if it were on anyone but her pure-hearted sister. 

'That would be wonderful,' Angelica started once more. 'But the children have asked me to take them into town to watch a puppet show. I'd so hate for them to miss out on seeing it.' 

Eliza looked crestfallen. Her lips parted, her eyes lowered, and Angelica struggled to fathom why she appeared so upset by it. 

'Yes. I suppose it would be a pity, if they were to lose out on time with their aunt. Another day, then?' 

'Of course, my dear sister.' 

Kissing her cheek as an apology, Angelica left. She had to find something to take the children to now. 

* 

Declining invitations to partake in a trip to the lake could only go on for so long. Eliza took the children with her and Alexander on several occasions, sometimes to swim and other times to play, and Angelica resister each time. So, too, did the pair of them go by themselves. When Alexander was preoccupied (because, of course, he took his work with him), Angelica would take it upon herself to go with Eliza alone. 

It wasn't necessarily Alexander that made Angelica easy. Their conversations had moved from civility to the same wry tone they had had before he had joined them upstate. She'd tease him, he'd argue with her. They asked one another about their day and it felt like nothing had changed between them. 

It was when Eliza was with them that Angelica began to trip up. Or, maybe, it was when Alexander was in the same vicinity that Angelica found herself losing her grip with Eliza. It was the pair of them, together, a couple that Angelica had so deliberately set up that made her fumble and fidget. Although she told herself that it was a new sensation, there was something deeply familiar about it, too. It had lived inside of her for an unimaginably long time, and it had just grown to a size where she could no longer ignore it. 

If she avoided being in close proximity to both of them at the same time, then perhaps she could continue to ignore it. 

The peak of summer had arrived when Angelica next dared to accompany Eliza to the lake. Eliza brought along an umbrella, which she set up to sit under beside their favourite tree. Their loose robes were shrugged off to reveal lacy shifts underneath, made of creamy cotton that floated around their knees. 

Eliza, with a cheeky grin on her face that seemed reserved only for these moments between the two of them, took Angelica by the hand and pulled her down to the water. It was cool and refreshing, and Angelica didn't even complain when Eliza wrapped her arms around her middle and tried to force her back into it. The water crashed around the two of them, and Eliza laughed as Angelica pushed her down, sending the water up and over her head. It was good to hear her laugh like that, so reckless and free. 

Their chemises became soaked through, their hair sticking to their faces and backs and shoulders. The sun would inevitably render Eliza's nose and cheeks pink, but even Angelica was reluctant to pull her out of the water and force a hat on her head. 

As their playful antics petered out and their laughter melted into joyous smiles, Eliza lay back on the water and began to float. Angelica held her hand and knelt down in the shallow water, holding her at bay so she didn't wind up midway across the lake (even though their shifts acted as anchors and weighed them down). 

'Do you ever imagine you will move back to New York, my dear Angelica?' Eliza asked quietly. 

Angelica lightly pushed her one way and then the other. The tiny current within the lake letting her drift only as far as Angelica allowed. 

'I'd like to, eventually. One day.' 

She continued to hold Eliza's hand, even as she tipped back in the water and let it wash over her. Bubbles pop-pop-popped above her head until she sat upright once more and took a breath. She hadn't even exhaled when she felt a presence behind her, someone standing on the shore. Angelica needn't even turn around to realise who it was. 

'Angelica. You're joining us!' 

Eliza had begun to sit up, and she sank down onto the sandy bottom of the lake, where the water lapped at her chin. Without turning around, Angelica began to grab at the skirt of her chemise and pull it down to cover her decency. 

'It's- I have- ' 

'Oh, Angelica, please stay,' Eliza said, kneeling so she was positioned on the hem of Angelica's chemise. 'The water is wonderful, and the children have their lessons.' 

Angelica couldn't have left, even if she wanted to. Eliza was kneeling (quite deliberately, she assumed) on her hem. Even if she could stand, the cotton had grown sheer in the water. Although Alexander had averted his eyes the last time, her shift had been mostly dry by that point, and a darker hue. 

Under the water, Angelica cautiously reached out and placed her hands around Eliza's slim waist. Pushing her back, Angelica freed her chemise, kept pushing it down so it didn't bubble up, and turned to look over at Alexander. 

Once again, she was struck with the peculiar feeling of seeing something she wasn't meant to. He was dressed to bathe in the water, with an oversized shirt and trunks, but he at least had the benefit of being dressed in all black. At the very least, he had shapely legs; Angelica had heard of men stuffing their stockings with sandbags. 

'Alexander,' she remarked blandly. 

Eliza had begun to drag herself out of the water. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and her chemise spread out behind her as she headed to her husband. A modest compulsion filled Angelica to pull her back, encourage her to stay in the water, away from prying eyes, though she knew she didn't have a leg to stand on. Alexander was her husband. If Eliza was allowed to be bold in front of any man, it was him. 

'Eliza, dear. Would you like a towel?' Alexander said, gesturing to where they had left the umbrella. Two towels were folded, with Eliza's latest mystery book sitting on top. 

'No,' she said with a chuckle, her head shaking. 

'You're soaking wet.' 

'Indeed, I am.' 

'Eliza, no- _stop_ \- ' 

With a laugh, Eliza lunged and captured her husband in her arms. Her wet chemise slapped against Alexander, which caused him to yelp in surprise. She had enough leverage on him to pull him back into the lake. Angelica shifted, moving to a crouch, until she was sure she was out of Alexander's view. The moment she was, she pounced up and grabbed him by the shoulders. 

'Now!' 

Slipping out from in front of him, the two of them hauled Alexander into the water. It was easy to forget her concerns as her brother-in-law emerged from the water, gasping for air, as his hair slipped free of its binding and stuck to his face. It was even easier to forget her own immodesty as he lunged for both of them and pushed both Angelica and her dear sister under the churning froth, much to their squealing delight. 

It was summer. She was allowed to have fun in summer. 

* 

Although things continued to remain strained when Angelica was in the presence of both her sister and brother-in-law, it began to feel a little easier to breathe. She could meet both their eyes, she could ask them questions of dinner and sit in the same room as them as they read with glasses of red wine and sweet pastries. She didn't so quickly look for excuses to busy herself during the day, even though there were a few times she willingly joined the children on a venture into town. 

But she'd begun to look forward to those captured moments where it was just the three of them, too. Hours spent down at the lake, even if Angelica was only resting Eliza's head upon her lap and Alexander read to them both. Or moments in the gardens around the estate, Eliza between the two of them and both of them linking arms with her. Quiet breaths, when Alexander passed her something to read and Eliza draped herself over Angelica's shoulder to see what it was. 

Eliza crawled into Angelica's bed one morning, as the sun rose and the children slept through. They clutched at each other's hands and whispered to one another- nothing of value, but beyond what two sisters, as close as they were, considered gossip. A small jab at Alexander's expense, but that which carried no weight, a memory about a deceased uncle, an inside joke about a priest from their childhood. 

Once again, there was a familiar, rhythmic knocking on her door. This time, when Angelica called and Alexander stuck his head in, she welcomed him to join them. He still looked peculiar in his nightshirt, but he also looked soft, sweet, a rare sleepiness to his expression as Eliza pulled the blankets back and he fell in beside her. 

With moments of his head hitting the pillow, he had fallen asleep. He snored gently, an arm under her breasts and his face pressed to her shoulder. Angelica watched both of them, the way Eliza's hand stroked his cheek, the other still clutching her sister's hand. 

'He was up all night, working,' she explained, patient as ever. 

Then, turning her attention back to Angelica, she launched back into their previous discussion. Eliza had so easily managed to capture both of her loves, and Angelica was quietly envious about how simple it seemed to have been. 

* 

Alexander had been with them for three weeks. Midsummer had passed, but the days had grown hotter, the nights stickier. Humidity clung to their skin, and even Eliza was risking spending more and more time in the water in an effort to escape it. Angelica spent the evenings reading with a cool compress on the back of her neck. It dripped water onto her pillow, but it was difficult to complain about when it worked to cool her down. 

One such evening, Eliza padded into her room, a lamp with a burning candle inside in hand. Her nightgown, a gauzy chemise made of a fabric akin to cheesecloth, floated about her as though she were swimming in the lake. It was also, Angelica noted with a small flush at her sister's expense, a little more sheer than she probably expected it to be. Despite herself, Angelica's eyes lingered; was that what she wore for Alexander? Is that what he saw each night? Did he appreciate it each night, to see his beloved wife dress in something delicate, a whisper upon her skin, as impossibly and infinitely gentle as Eliza herself? 

Angelica closed the book she had been reading, pulled the wet towel away from her neck and dropped it on the bedside table. If Alexander didn't relish seeing his wife in that way, she'd make him pay. 

'I was hoping you'd join us tonight,' Eliza said, her hands clasped in front of her. 

'I'm sorry?' Angelica asked, momentarily baffled as to what she meant. 

'I thought I might read some poetry, like we did as children,' she said, referring to her, Angelica and Peggy's girlhood past time when the lights were meant to be out and they would stay awake. 'I'd like to read to you and Alexander.' 

Eliza's hair was pulled across her shoulders. She grabbed a lock of it, tugged at it, and smiled with a sugary sweetness that Angelica had never been able to resist. With a well meaning sigh, Angelica set her book aside and snuffed out her candle. 

She followed Eliza back to her bedroom, quiet as church mice. Eliza reached back and held her hand, guiding her down the corridor. 

Alexander looked perplexed when Eliza returned, her sister in tow. His side of the bed was covered in various sheets of paper, and he hurriedly began to collect them, folding them together and setting them in the drawer beside the bed. 

'He's not allowed to work in bed,' Eliza murmured in Angelica's ear as she guided her around to her side of the bed. 

Following her sister around the bed, Angelica waited until Eliza slipped in beside her husband. Angelica moved under the sheets to her right, watching as Eliza opened the book Alexander passed her. It wasn't one of her mysterious, secret books; this was a collection of works by Voltaire. Angelica was quietly impressed by her selection, and she wondered if Alexander had guided her choice or if Eliza had discovered him on her own. 

Settling down, a light sheet covering her legs, Angelica let her head rest upon the pillows as Eliza's soft voice wafted over her. Angelica had always loved hearing her read aloud. She had a sweet melodic tone, it all sounding a little lyrical with her rising inflections and intonations. It was oh so easy to close her eyes and let it wash over her as the candle burned low in the bedroom. 

She hadn't meant to fall asleep. But the heat from the day had sapped her of her strength, and the humidity finally broke. It brought with it a welcome chill, and Angelica found herself rolling onto her side in her sleep. Her arm slipped around Eliza's middle, and she felt her dear sister's breath on her cheek. It was as calming as her voice, and it drew Angelica into a deeper slumber. 

When she awoke, it was still dark. Night birds and insects chirruped outside, and a breeze was blowing outside with such force that Angelica knew the following day would be hot. 

Eliza and Alexander were talking. At first, Angelica thought perhaps they were talking in their sleep. Although Eliza had never exhibited that behaviour, Angelica could recall in her hazy, sleep-addled mind that she had mentioned Alexander doing that. But, as her mind begin to click over, she realised both of them were awake. 

Angelica didn't mean to eavesdrop. It sounded like they were bickering. Their voices were soft, short, sharp. But her arm was still wrapped around Eliza, and though she shut her eyes, sleep wasn't forthcoming. There also didn't seem to be a good time for her to make her wakefulness known. 

'Oh, please, Alexander,' Eliza was saying. 'You know I don't ask for much.' 

'Eliza,' Alexander replied, in the same, quietly pleading tone. 'She's right here.' 

'I've seen the way you look at her.' 

' _Eliza_ \- ' 

They weren't arguing. Not in the way Angelica had first thought, at least. Alexander's voice, while still soft, had taken on a deeper, thicker tone. It was low, and had a roughness to it that he had never used while speaking to her. 

There was movement. Remaining as still as possible, Angelica felt Eliza's arm slip out from between them. The sheets that were draped over the three of them were pushed back, and she felt Eliza shift. Her bare legs ran over Angelica's own, her foot brushing up the length of her calf as Eliza adjusted her position. 

Angelica's heart had began to race. She'd always had a quick mind, a keen intelligence, but even now she tried to tell herself that she was merely misinterpreting the situation. 

'I know how fond you are of my sister,' Eliza continued. Her tone was so sweet, so soft, so- so _shrewd_. She'd used it on Angelica more than once, when she wanted her way. 'And not just for her beauty. I know how much you enjoy your private debates with her.' 

'E _li_ za- ' 

'And I know you'd never do anything untoward. I love my sister. I know my sister. She'd have your head in a basket if you were to ever hurt me.' 

Eliza's arm returned. Angelica felt it, as she guided Alexander's hand between them. For a brief moment, Angelica held her breath as she waited, in some peculiar mix of apprehension and baited hope that she was about to be coerced into whatever peculiar game was afoot. She wasn't pulled in, though; rather, she felt Eliza guide Alexander's hand to her breast. Angelica felt his knuckles move between them as he reached down, into his wife's nightgown and grope at her. 

There was a shift in the bed. Angelica felt the hem of Eliza's nightgown ride up, felt her leg hook over Angelica's own, a small gasp against her cheek as Eliza canted forward slightly. 

'She's right here,' Alexander muttered. Every word pulsed through Angelica, so deep, so rich. 

'Then you best be quiet about it.' 

Her hand was caught between the two of them. Angelica still held her sister close; she could feel her lips against her chest as she spoke, could feel the tickle of hair under her chin as her head bowed forward and Alexander kissed the back of her neck. She could feel the moment Alexander entered her, from the way her breath shot out in a gasp and the way her mouth parted in quiet ecstasy. Eliza's hand slid up, over Angelica's waist, as she hugged her sister close and canted her hips back against her husband. The heel of her foot pressed into the back of Angelica's thigh as she sank backwards. 

Although Angelica had never heard Alexander like this before (aside from that illicit afternoon a few weeks prior), men, she decided, tended to sound the same. Gruff, gravelly, a deepness of voice that reached deep within her and excited her in a way nothing else quite did. But she'd never heard Eliza like this before. 

Her voice was different. It wavered. It was throaty, raw. She had told Alexander to be quiet, and though he was clearly trying to, Eliza was struggling to do so. Her moans slid and slurred together, as Alexander's hand reached down from her breasts, across her stomach, and hitched up her nightgown. Angelica felt as his hand dipped between her legs, and Eliza's sweet, silky voice became more desperate. 

Angelica had heard nothing like it. Not from Eliza, not from herself. 

She took a breath. Held it. Her hand, unwittingly, gripped the back of Eliza's nightgown, from where it was still crushed between the two of them. 

'Angelica- ' 

'Eliza.' 

She finally dared to open her eyes. Eliza was gazing up at her, her own eyes wide in the dark night, her lips parted as she kissed the underside of her sister's chin. There was a small catch of teeth, a brief lick of her tongue as her eyes rolled back and she moaned, a little louder. 

Then, from behind Eliza, 'Angelica?' 

Alexander stopped moving. With nary a thought beyond her own sister's enjoyment, Angelica wrenched her hand free. Reaching across, her body pressed firmly against Eliza's own, Angelica reached back and grabbed whatever of Alexander she possibly could. His ass was bare, skin cool, and she pushed him forward, coercing him back into forcing those needy noises from her sister. 

'I have you, dear sister,' Angelica whispered. 'I'm here. I'm not letting go. You have me, and I have you.' 

With a desperate gasp, Eliza clung at her sister. Her leg tightened, her mouth moved up, and she made a soft, pleading noise as Alexander finally began to thrust once more. Angelica kept her hand on him, nails pressing in, and coaxing him to keep it up. 

Eliza's gasping breaths grew louder, more frequent. Alexander was a steady grunt behind her, and though Angelica had longed to hear him like that for so many years, her attention was fixed upon her beloved sister. She held onto both of them, keeping them close and entwined, until Eliza's desperate moaning reached its peak. And though Angelica may have hesitated under different circumstances, she didn't wait to lower her head and kiss Eliza. Gentle, soft, until Eliza clutched at her and she allowed the kiss to deepen. She had promised Eliza she would be there; Angelica intended to keep that vow. 

* 

Angelica woke first. There was no temporary comfort of sleep, no haze to behind as she stirred to wakefulness. There was only a sudden and unwavering memory of what she had taken part in only a few hours earlier. 

Eliza continued to lay within her arms, her head tucked underneath Angelica's chin. Behind her, Alexander slept with an arm draped over her middle, his mouth open and pressed to her shoulder blade. Pushing up onto her elbow, Angelica looked at both of them. After a beat, she closed her eyes, her chin bowing. 

The heat that had evaporated the night before had begun to return. It was difficult to tell what time it was, but she could hear the small pitter-patter of feet outside. Late enough for the children to have woken up, then, but not so late that the household staff and gone to wake them. That was enough time for Angelica to make her escape, then. 

By the time she had slipped out of bed, retreated to her bedroom, and began to dress for the day, she had managed to convince herself to not think about what had occurred. She could just keep pushing it from her mind, like a little game. Every time she recalled a hushed whisper, or the brush of lace upon her thigh, or the feeling of Alexander's skin against her fingertips, or the taste of Eliza's lips against her own, she'd think of something else. The sound of the wind outside, the heat of the sun through her window, the tug of a comb through her hair. 

She took the children into town. She told the staff to advise her sister as such, so she didn't fret, and she didn't stay long enough to ensure the message was passed on. The children, though confused by the abrupt change of plans that day, still delighted in her presence. 

They couldn't stay all day, though, and much as she had on previous excursions, Angelica found herself reluctantly returning home. 

Her sister and brother-in-law were nowhere to be found. They were likely at the lake or out in town themselves. Angelica didn't ask, nor did she allow herself to think about it. Her game had continued all day. 

The press of her hand between Eliza and Alexander forced her to turn her attention to the lemon candies she was passed while in town. 

A memory of Alexander thrusting into Eliza had Angelica focusing on the peal of laughter of people upon the street. 

The whisper of her name upon both of their lips was pushed away as she stared at a horse refusing to be saddled. 

She could do this all day. 

Except for dinner. Angelica had thought she could perhaps slip out of dinner, figure out a way she could even return back to New York early. But as she sent the children to wash up for their own supper, she was cornered by Eliza. 

Her dear Eliza. 

'Angelica.' 

And oh, Angelica had never been able to deny her sister anything. There, with her sweet smile and kind eyes, cheeks that were pink from the sun and hair that fell loose over her shoulders as though she had only finished brushing it out. 

How could she possibly return to New York when Eliza smiled at her like that? Or said her name, with a lilting sigh and a suggestion of a laugh? 

'Eliza.' 

'May we speak?' 

Angelica swallowed and nodded. She supposed they could. 

She followed Eliza to the outdoor terrace. It looked like she had been waiting for some time. The sun had begun to set, and the heat had started to go with it. A carafe of lemonade was sweating upon the small glass-topped table, and a small plate of macaroons that had been covered in netting had been picked at. The terrace looked out over the gardens, and had a view of the path up to the entrance. Eliza really had been waiting for her. 

Sitting down, not needing to be told twice, Angelica poured herself a glass of lemonade. She wasn't thirsty, but she liked having something to do with her hands. 

'I won't beat around the bush, then,' Eliza said, smoothing out her dress as she, too, took a seat. She lifted the netting, took a macaroon, and began to pick at the crust. 'I know you think me naive. Perhaps in some ways I am. But I've seen how he looks at you, Angelica. I always have. And I've seen how you look at him, too. If there were ever a time you had come to me and asked or told me, I'd have let you have him.' 

'I know,' Angelica said, more to her glass than to her sister. 'That's why I didn't.' 

There was only a small sign from Eliza that she understood. A faint tilt of her chin upwards, a small twitch at the corner of her mouth. 

'I've never thought you stupid, Eliza, or blind. I've always known you to be far more intelligent than many would give you credit for. But... you're kind. Sweet. Your charitable nature extends far further than common sense may allow.' 

'Do not take my kindness for weakness, sister.' 

'You take me for a man?' Angelica scoffed, mock offended. 'I'd never be foolish enough to think such things. Your spine is far stronger than your soft exterior would suggest. Your sweetness is a shield, I realise that now. But Eliza... I would give you anything, if you ever asked. You've always been my folly, you do understand that. Don't you?' 

Eliza's cheeks had taken on a rosy hue that couldn't be explained away by the sun. The macaroon had been picked into pieces, and her fingers were dusted with sticky sugar. 

'And you are mine,' she eventually said, with a small shrug of a shoulder. 

Licking her fingers and thumb clean, Eliza wiped her hands on the napkin. Only then did she look up and meet Angelica's eye. Wordlessly, she reached over and took Angelica's hand in her own. It was cool from the glass of lemonade. 

'If he were to ever be with someone else, I wouldn't find fault if it were you.' 

'Eliza! I would _never_.' 

The moment she went to pull her hand away, Angelica felt Eliza's grip tighten. Their eyes met across the table. Eliza's expression was soft, with that ever so sweet, cloying look that had followed Angelica throughout their lives. 

'His heart will never be led astray, I know that,' Eliza continued. 'Because he's already in love with you. As am I, dear sister. He may be my husband and the father of my children, but you will always be my first love. I know he loves me and I know he adores me, and I him. But his near indiscretion has reminded me that he is, in many ways, still a man. And if he were to ever find himself with another woman, then I ought to be the one to give permission.' 

Angelica felt much as she had the night before. Unable to breathe, rendered mute, trapped with her hand captured against her sister. 

'Besides,' Eliza said, with a coquettish shrug of her shoulder that suddenly reminded Angelica of Peggy. 'He has a tendency to overexert himself and pull a muscle in his back. I could at least remind him of that so he's able to bend over come morning.' 

' _Eliza_.' 

'And,' Eliza went on, ignoring Angelica's interjection. 'I've met your husband, and he strikes me as quite the bore. I can promise you now that Alexander's talents as an orator aren't just limited to those he delivers in Congress.' 

Angelica must have blacked out for a moment, as it took her several long breaths to realise what Eliza was inferring. Her sister had turned quite red, and Angelica watched as her flushed cheeks extended over the curve of her ear and down her neck. 

'Oh,' she finally said, as that seemed to be quite the limit of her capabilities right then. 'Oh. I see.' 

'We've shared everything throughout our lives,' Eliza continued. Her thumb pressed into Angelica's knuckles. 'Why shouldn't I share this with you?' 

Angelica was rendered temporarily speechless. That was quite a feat, in of itself. She fumbled, letting Eliza hold her hand, as her mind slowly went over all that had been said. She found herself nodding, not quite sure what she was agreeing to, but accepting her part in it all the same. 

With a beaming smile, Eliza leant over and kissed Angelica's knuckles. She stood, brushed the remains of the macaroons off her skirt, and gave Angelica another bright smile. 

'Thank you, dear sister. I best check on the children, to ensure the children have eaten their vegetables this evening.' 

The sun had begun to disappear beyond the horizon, and only now did Angelica recognise the late summer chill in the air. She finally took a sip of her lemonade, and looked out over the darkening sky. 

* 

Alexander missed supper. Eliza sent his apologies with a clipped tone and tight lips; it was the closest she went to expressing anger. Truthfully, though, Angelica was glad he didn't make it to the meal and instead chose to finish off the last of his letters that evening. She didn't think she'd be able to face him so soon after her discussion with Eliza. 

The pair retired to the library, sipping sweetened wine, and took turns reading to one another from their favourite books. Eliza still refused to divulge what she had been reading behind false covers. She was the first of them to depart for bed; she stood, kissed Angelica chastely on the cheek, and headed off to find her husband. 

Angelica waited. She had thought that perhaps Eliza would want to pull her back into their bed right away, but as the minutes turned to hours, that seemed to be quite incorrect. 

Fine. That was fine. 

The following day, Eliza had to escort Alexander to meet with a member of Congress who had come up to see him (Angelica didn't hear who, precisely, but from Alexander's muttered cursing, it sounded like it was a representative from Jefferson's pocket). As a result, Angelica had the day to herself. 

No promise had been made. No vow had been uttered that could be considered unbreakable. At any point, Angelica knew she could simply turn to Eliza and tell her she had changed her mind. She wasn't comfortable with whatever arrangement had somehow been decided. 

She didn't want to, though. She realised that as they day progressed and she waded through the lake, the water lapping at her ankles. As the children squealed and splashed about, Angelica looked across the shimmering water and turned it over in her mind. 

She'd always been excessively fond of Alexander. That much was true, and it didn't bother her as much as she thought it might that Eliza had picked up on it. Furthermore, her affection for her sister had forever canted towards a impassioned angle. Eliza carried her heart in her hands, and the thousands of miles that had separated them when Angelica lived abroad had only proved it. An emptiness had been carved out in her chest, and only now it had been filled. 

Alexander and Eliza didn't return until late. As she lay in the comfort of her bed, the candle already snuffed, she listened to them walk the passageway to the privacy of their bedroom. Their voices were soft, but the laughter from Alexander that was hurriedly hushed told her that alcohol had been served. 

She drew the sheet up to her shoulder and rolled over. Her hand disappeared into the secrecy of her shift and she closed her eyes. Not yet. She wouldn't disrupt them tonight. 

* 

Everything seemed so damned _normal_. It was frustrating. Angelica had begun to wonder if perhaps she had completely and utterly misinterpreted what Eliza had presented to her a few afternoons prior. She had a certain temperament when she had imbibed wine, and Angelica hadn't witnessed it earlier that week, but maybe she was wrong. 

Despite being bold and confident, this wasn't the sort of thing Angelica could simply go and ask. But the proposition kept hanging over her head, and every time she turned to look at her sister and brother-in-law, she could only hear what Eliza had said to her about Alexander's mouth. She could still feel the heat of Alexander's skin under her fingers, she could taste Eliza upon her lips. Angelica had never been one for midnight indiscretions, but more than once in the past few days had she woken up in the middle of the night and let her body guide her to a rapturous joy her husband had never given her. 

She watched them at the lakeside, Eliza saturated in her shift that tended to sheer and white on the days the children went into town. In the evening, she would spy on Alexander in the library, watching him pace around in his nightshirt and feeling like she was watching some kind of queer play. The two of them would giggle and whisper to one another over breakfast, and Angelica yearned to press in between the two of them and demand they tell her what was so funny. 

Eliza, Angelica soon realised, was reading to Alexander from her mystery book. She saw the false cover in Eliza's hands, as she rested her head on Alexander's lap, much as she had done with Angelica. He would stroke her hair and smile at her, a secret sort of thing as he twisted locks of her soft hair around and around a finger. She'd look up at him, with a cheeky grin on her face, and steal a kiss. 

She needed to know. She _had_ to know. 

Evening descended. 

Angelica stood by her bedroom door, dressed in her nightgown and poised, ready for pounce. Alexander had a habit of slipping out of the bedroom when Eliza was brushing out her hair. He'd go to the library, dig out his latest essay, and work on it for as long as he dared. That would be the time Angelica would pitter-patter to Eliza and hiss at her for taking so long. 

The bedroom door clicked shut. 

Slipping from the bedroom, Angelica hurried down the corridor to the bedroom. She didn't think to knock. Eliza would be on her own, possibly even in bed already, and reading some poetry, as she was wont to do. Angelica only opened the door and raced inside, closing the door behind her. Eliza would be alone and wouldn't fault her sister for entering unannounced. After all, it was only Eliza- 

\- and Alexander. 

There, laying in bed beside one another, both with books in their hands, were Eliza and Alexander. Twin pairs of eyes looked up at her, each as silent and stunned as the other. Eliza, her hair already brushed and hanging loose over her shoulders, and Alexander, a pair of spectacles perched on his nose. Both were dressed modestly for bed; Alexander, in his ruffled nightshirt, and Eliza in a thicker cotton chemise, to account for the rapidly cooling summer nights. 

'Hello, Angelica,' Eliza said, lowering her book onto her lap. 

'Hello, Eliza,' she replied. 'Alexander.' 

'Hi.' 

A pause spread between them. A breath, a break, and Angelica had no idea how to cross it. She'd always been the most bold of her sisters, the most fearless and stubborn. Silence didn't come easy to her, and now was no different. But she had no idea how to cross this moment. She had expected to find her sister alone; speaking to her about this would be a sizeable feat in of itself, but a surmountable one nonetheless. Speaking to both her sister and her brother-in-law in tow was something else. 

'Are you quite right, Angelica? Is there a cricket?' Eliza turned to her husband and, in a stage whisper, said, 'she had quite the fear as a child.' 

'No- _no_ , you promised you'd never reveal that.' 

Eliza tittered, Alexander hid a smile behind a hand, and both of them went about closing their books. What few words Angelica had found were summarily gone. She took a sharp breath in through her nose, placed her hand to her brow, and tried to right herself of her sensibilities. 

'Come, Angelica,' Eliza said, repeating her name. She patted the empty side of the bed beside her. 'Come. Sit with us for a spell.' 

Their eyes met, and Angelica immediately knew that Eliza could tell why she had raced into the room initially. The depth of their bond had never been one-sided. Eliza knew her sister's mind and heart as well as Angelica knew her. 

She headed over. Alexander, at least, had the courtesy to busy himself by taking his and Eliza's books and setting them aside. Beside him, Eliza kept her eyes on Angelica, smiling as she peeled the sheets back for her. 

Her legs stretched out along the bed. She wiggled her bare toes, looking at them instead of the pair next to her. She didn't like being at a loss for words. Angelica was known for her clever tongue, her quick wit, her mind brimming and overflowing with thoughts and words. But this whole situation was unusual for her, and nothing could have possibly prepared her for any of it. 

Eliza took her hand. Her cool fingers wrapped around Angelica's palm, and she lifted it up to kiss the back of her knuckles. The gesture, so small and simple, had Angelica lifting her head to watch her. Just the sight of Eliza, with that simple and shy smile, was enough to have Angelica easing back. After all, she was the whole reason for all of this. Angelica would do anything for her beloved sister. 

'I do hope you're pleased,' Angelica whispered, a little conspiratorially. 'You've left me in quite a state this week.' 

'State? What state?' Alexander asked. 

'Consider it revenge for all the torture you put me through as children.' Eliza sniffed, ignoring her husband. 

'Torture? Lies. You were the middle child. You were free to make your own mischief.' 

'Tortured and so woefully ignored.' 

'It's moments like this that I'm grateful I didn't have any siblings,' Alexander murmured to himself, scratching behind his ear. 

Angelica couldn't quite tell if Eliza had spoken to him about what she had planned. He had seem quite truthfully confused about what was going on. Even so, he had definitely been aware of what had happened the last time Angelica had joined them in their marital bed. 

Unable to help herself, Angelica let her eyes shift from Eliza and to him instead. He was fiddling with his glasses, doing his best to seem like he wasn't studying them both. Alexander may have been able to talk and write his way out of tricky situations, but he wore his heart on his sleeve, and Angelica had forever been able to read him like a book. Right now, he was clearly watching them. The sheets were piled up on his lap, and he kept running his hand over the cotton, idly squeezing and smoothing out the fabric. 

Her eyes fell back to Eliza. She had a smile on her face, the likes of which Angelica typically only saw on Alexander. Wicked and devilish, the kind of expression that formed when he had just found a way to trap the target of his teasing (typically Burr; Angelica would feel sorry for him if he didn't aggrieve her so). Not once had she ever seen that look on her sister. 

'Oh, Angelica,' Eliza sighed sweetly. 'You were always so frustratingly beautiful and clever. It's high time I got my own back.' 

Eliza kissed her. It was light, but it didn't carry any of the chaste undertones that Angelica had come to expect from her sisters. There were cool fingers on her cheek, a full press of Eliza's lips upon her own that had her gasping quietly in surprise. She didn't pull away, as she suppose might be expected of her, and instead lingered towards Eliza, following her as she moved and sat upright. 

'I do hope I didn't aggravate you too much,' Angelica conceded. 

'No. Not terribly.' 

There was a hand upon her shoulder. Eliza's slim fingers wrapped around it as she kicked back the sheets and tucked her legs underneath herself. All of Angelica's spare thoughts for Alexander disappeared as she watched Eliza throw a leg over her thighs, her other hand coming to rest upon Angelica's forearm as she went to sit upon her lap. 

Angelica's hands fell to her hips. It felt like the most natural place to put them. Eliza was cupping her face, that wicked smile softened into something a little cheeky but more familiar. With her chin tilted up, Angelica could only gaze upon her sister. Her hair was loose, long and silky, and tumbling down over her shoulders and back. 

She had never given much thought to how Eliza would kiss. There had been times when Angelica would watch her and Alexander, and her eyes would linger and she'd watch as Eliza would reel him back in. She'd chase him, with a laugh and a pout, and Angelica would witness a small flash of her pink tongue. It would make her pause for a few seconds, and her mind would whirl as she wondered what it would be like to desire her husband that much. That had been the extent of it. 

But now she found herself experiencing it. 

Eliza kissed her slowly. Her thumbs swept down her cheekbones, right as her tongue pressed against her mouth. She leant against Angelica and took her time, as she pushed past decency between sisters and into something far deeper. A hand moved down Angelica's cheek and went to rest against the back of her neck, keeping their lips together as Angelica leant back against the pillows. 

Beside her, she heard Alexander make a small stunned, ' _oh_.' 

This could be the point she knocked Eliza off and made her way back to her bedroom. This could be the point where she said she had changed her mind. They were both women of an upstanding background, sisters of high morals. But Angelica knew Eliza, and she _knew_ her. From the sharp intake of breath, the way her hands tenderly cradled her face, the way she scooted forward a little more. 

Angelica knew her sister, and she knew herself. She was helpless to stop Eliza, who had forever wrapped her around her little finger. While Angelica had always lived on the line on what was right and moral for a woman, Eliza had kept far away from it. She was the picture of the proper daughter; polite and deferential and courteous. But this right here was deviant for both of them. 

But _oh_ , Angelica didn't particularly care. 

She took her time, kissing her sister slowly, learning her mouth. Eliza sighed when she licked inside, she gasped when Angelica nipped at her lower lip. It had been so long since Angelica had had an opportunity to kiss like this. Her husband wasn't overly affectionate, and though he was by no means cruel, he was a little disinterested with such matters. She couldn't find fault with that- Angelica would rather a cool relationship over a cold one. But she enjoyed kissing, she enjoyed feeling another person bend towards her and whisper her name and rush back in for more, _more_. And, right then, Eliza was a font and Angelica couldn't quench her thirst. 

Her mind whisked back to the night when she had held Eliza close and uttered her name. Alexander had been touching her, and though it had been late and dark, she still knew what had happened. She could feel in the gaps for that which she hadn't seen or felt. 

Inch by inch, her fingertips descended. Eliza still cupped her face, and occasionally Angelica could feel her eyelashes fluttering. She didn't dare yet open her eyes to see what she was doing, if she was stealing glances towards Alexander. Angelica could still feel him beside her, having slid forward to get a better look. 

The neckline of Eliza's nightgown was covered in lace and ribbons. Angelica tugged at it with one hand, her thumb running along the delicate frills. Eliza's nails scratched along her face, around her jaw, her scalp, and down her neck. A nip upon her own lip, a shiver, a twitch from Eliza as Angelica ghosted her palm down, until she felt the swell of her breast. 

She cautiously cupped Eliza's breast over her nightgown. The thick cotton made it difficult to feel anything, but Eliza squirmed on her lap and finally broke their kiss. Angelica's eyes opened, ready to ask if she had crossed a line, if she wasn't so good at reading her sister after all. 

Maybe she wasn't. 

As she leant back, Eliza began to tug at the neckline of her nightgown. She loosened the ribbon at the front, pawed at the lace, but the cotton was stiff and unforgiving. With a frustrated huff, Eliza looked down and pulled at the front of the nightgown. It was too fitted around her chest. 

'Eliza. Let me.' 

As the older sister, it had often been up to Angelica to solve such problems with logic. 

One hand dropped to the curve of Eliza's hip. Holding her still, Angelica reached down and slid her hand underneath the hem of the billowing skirt of the nightgown. She felt the soft skin of Eliza's thigh, the muscles in her leg tensing at the sudden touch. Meeting her sister's gaze, Angelica ran her hand up, the flat expanse of her palm gliding along her skin. Up her bare leg, around the side of her hip, not daring to reach a thumb out, nor a finger to anywhere untoward. Over her stomach, feeling her draw in a breath as her hand went up and up. The jut of a rib, the smooth plane of her sternum, to finally the gentle curve of her breast. 

It wasn't nearly as strange as Angelica thought it would be. 

Soft. Strangely cool. Angelica could almost feel Eliza's heartbeat under her fingers. She swiped her thumb across it, feeling the hardness of her nipple. Eliza shivered, a surprised expression on her face. 

'Oh, shit.' 

Alexander's voice was rough beside her, and far closer than Angelica had anticipated. 

Angelica had almost forgotten about him- _almost_. Even Eliza seemed momentarily dazed by his presence, as her eyes fluttered open and she turned to him. Then, softly, she laughed and reached over to him, finally letting go of Angelica. Cupping his face instead, she pulled his face up to meet her own and kissed him, with the same depth and care and affection as she had Angelica. 

Watching the two of them kiss, Angelica didn't feel a trickle of jealousy or envy, as she thought she might, but instead a hunger. She wanted to be part of it, to join them if she could. It wasn't new. Angelica realised that with a curious, almost distant, quality. It had been there since she'd introduced Alexander to her sister, a shivering wish to be involved somehow with both of them. She wanted Alexander, she always had, but she also wanted to keep her sister close by her side. To protect her, to have her, to keep their bond together. 

As she pulled back, Eliza immediately turned to Angelica. She smiled, eyes bright, and nodded towards her husband. For so long, Angelica had shrunk back from daring to think too hard about it. The mere fantasy was forbidden. It was easier to lock herself out of the daydream dalliance, and instead focus her attentions elsewhere. But now Eliza was encouraging Alexander over, her smile warm and true. 

'Eliza, dear sister, are you sure?' 

Her answer came in the form of Alexander kissing her. The first thing she thought of was Eliza. Her soft her mouth had been against Angelica's own, the sweetness of her lips, the warmth of her tongue. Alexander's beard tickled and burned; the contrast was startling. Alexander's jaw was firmer, his hand broader against her face than Eliza's delicate fingers. The sound of him groaning echoed in her mouth, unlike Eliza's soft sighs. But he kissed with the same hunger and desire, and that had Angelica leaning forward, chasing his mouth as he pulled away and it was hastily replaced with Eliza's once more. 

With her eyes closed, Angelica felt like her senses were being swamped. She could feel Alexander's mouth on her neck, could feel his hand atop her own, guiding her over the thick cotton of Eliza's nightgown to cup her breast. She could hear Eliza's soft moan, could taste her skin as she kissed her jaw, her temple, the corner of her mouth. She could smell the soft perfume on her skin and the ink that had been stained on Alexander's fingers as he turned her head to kiss her and then her sister. 

Somebody pulled Eliza's nightgown off. The chemise was tugged up and over her head. Angelica might have assisted, but it was tough to tell when she suddenly found both her hands on Eliza's bare body. Smooth, soft skin, still lightly pink in parts from the terrible burn earlier in the summer. Angelica's hands slid over her stomach, taking in the differences from when she had last seen her sister naked in their youth. 

Stretch marks across her belly from carrying children. Dark hair between her legs, finer and straighter than Angelica's own. Full breasts, rosy nipples, freckles she had forgotten. And- and there, right _there_. 

'Oh, my, you still have it.' 

Cocking her head to the side, Angelica lifted Eliza's left breast and ran her thumb over the dark mole on the underside. As large as the pad of her pinky finger, a deep brown, and raised at the edges. Angelica hadn't thought about it in years, and now she could recall the pair of them poking at it when they were still in the nursery. Their father had walked in pulled them apart, chastising them on their decency. 

Eliza laughed and it sounded like bells. 

'It didn't grow legs and walk off, dear sister,' she said, poking it herself. 'Alexander likes it, don't you? He says it's a quirk.' 

'I- I mean- I like _all_ of you,' he said hastily. 

With a smirk, Eliza leant towards Angelica. 'He likes to bite it.' 

' _Alexander_!' 

'I- ' He was red in the face, and he keened backwards at the glare Angelica shot him. 'It's- I don't- ' 

'Why are you biting my sister?' 

'It sounds worse than it is.' 

Despite his chastened expression at Angelica's verbal tone, it was clear to her that his interest in what was happening had lessened. His nightshirt, as overly frilled and laced as it was, did little to hide his erection. Angelica's eyes were drawn to it, her gaze lingering for a moment too long. Eliza cupped her chin and forcibly turned her head back up so their eyes met. 

'Dear sister. You always told me it was rude to stare,' Eliza chided her with a teasing smile. 

'He looks ridiculous.' Plain, to the point. She looked back over at Alexander. 'You do. It's ridiculous.' 

'She's right, Alexander.' 

'What's wrong with it?' Alexander looked down at his nightshirt, holding it out a little as he examined it. 'It's comfortable. It's nice.' 

As he spoke, Eliza slid in behind him, her bare legs wrapping around his hips to hold him in place. Her fingers plucked his hands away, drawing them over to her thighs so Angelica could reach in and pull the shirt off. Eliza let go only long enough so each sleeve slid off his arms, before it was quickly captured in her grasp again. The whole event occurred without Angelica thinking about it. It felt like another game between her and Eliza, a childhood lark where they'd chase one another around and around the gardens, taunting each other as they skinned their knees and caused grass stains to form on their dresses. This was just like that- Alexander had the adult equivalent of a grass stain on his shirt. 

It was tossed aside, landing atop Eliza's nightgown. Her bare limbs snaked around him from behind, hands running down his chest, his sternum, his biceps, as she kissed his neck and jaw. Alexander tilted his head towards her to give her a kiss, though through half-lidded eyes, Eliza knew he was watching her from where she sat between his legs. 

Naked. Flushed. Exposed. Cock proud and hard against his stomach. 

Pressing her knees together, Angelica tried not to be too obvious with how share stared. It was difficult to not look- his body had been hidden from her for so long. Unlike Eliza, she had no template to go off, no hazy memory. He was an overdue fantasy that had never been indulged. And here Angelica was, watching as her sister's hand slid down his stomach, fingertips daring to brush over his cock as though to taunt her. 

'Your turn.' 

'What?' 

Angelica only realised she had been the one spoken to when Eliza lashed out and grabbed her by the wrists. She hauled her forward, right against Alexander's bare chest. With a squeal of surprise, she felt two pairs of hands pulling at her nightgown. There was a small tear of fabric, the snap of a thread as she was divested of it. A catch of Eliza's nail against her shoulder, an elbow to her thigh from Alexander, and she soon found herself naked. 

Her face pressed into the crook of Alexander's neck. Eliza was giggling, an underlying breathlessness giving it a sultry tone. 

The skin under her hands was soft. Warm. She let her fingers run down, following Eliza's hands as she went. Across Alexander's chest, navel, her wrist brushing along his cock as she pressed her palms to his thighs. She heard his breath catch, his cock twitch, but Angelica didn't pay him any attention. Eliza was watching, her chin perched on his opposite shoulder, with her gaze fixed upon her. 

'Eliza. Dear sister.' 

Bracing herself on Alexander's thighs, Angelica kissed her again. Slow, deliberate, taking her time- not just because she found herself enjoying the feeling of Eliza's mouth upon her own, but how Alexander was rendered speechless by it. His breath hitched, he grabbed her wrist, and Angelica could feel how his cock twitched against her arm. Eliza sighed against her mouth and pulled away to slip back around. 

A pair of cool hands curled around Angelica's shoulders, and she found the bed rushing up to meet her. She landed on the mattress, her hair spilling out around the pillow, and opened her eyes to find Eliza poised above her. 

'Would you like him to fuck you?' 

The sound of that word- sordid, lewd, filthy- coming from Eliza had Angelica's eyes widening and a blush form on her cheeks. Though she might utter it herself, she never expected to hear it come from her dear sister's lips. She had whispered the question, but she could have very well shouted it. 

'Eliza! Language!' 

'I'll let him, if you wish. You only need ask.' 

'Eliza,' Angelica stammered again. 'I'm married. My husband...' 

'It doesn't count if it's with your brother and you have your sister's permission.' 

'Brother- _in-law_.' 

'Close enough.' 

She would be lying if the idea wasn't tempting. Arousal coursed through Angelica, a temptation like no other. Alexander was already kneeling between her legs, Eliza had her pinned to the bed by the shoulders, and all she need do was given her assent. To be so intimate with someone beyond a perfunctory act was almost unbelievable. 

Her hand splayed out over the dip of Eliza's waist. She could feel her breathing, a slight tremor in her touch. Eliza bowed her head, her lips touching the shell of her ear. 

'Or would you rather he do what I told you about last week?' 

Oh. _Oh_. Angelica would be lying if didn't admit that she'd been thinking about that. 

She nodded, shivering in anticipation as Eliza kissed her again, her tongue lapping inside her mouth, before pulling away to speak to Alexander. Their voices were low, and Angelica couldn't hear. Eliza looked back at her, with a wide grin and a glint in her eye, and swept in to kiss her again. She barely had any time to register that on its own, when she felt a brush of Alexander's fingers and hair between her thighs, and then the press of his tongue, hot and wet and _there_ , right _there_ , against her cunt. 

The noise that came from Angelica was definitely indignant. A jolt ran up her spine and she heaved herself along the pillows and mattress. Eliza squeezed her shoulders, Alexander licked again, and everything was happening so fast. A cool hand ran across her breast, and Angelica only hazily realised that it must have been Eliza before she was kissing her sister again. Hands around Eliza's elbows, holding her in place as Alexander took her thighs and hooked them over his shoulders. She could feel his fingers pressing into her hips, keeping her close as his tongue dragged over her cunt, pressing inside and lapping at her like a man parched. 

How had she gone this long without knowing how it felt? How had she allowed herself to remain denied, without her sister so close to show her a world that had been closed to her? Angelica had always prided herself on being the one to lead the way, to guide Eliza on adventures and educational excursions, but this was something she never would have experienced on her own. 

_Oh_ , she had to return the kindness. 

With a shaking hand, Angelica lifted one of her arms. Eliza was still cupping her breast, pinching the nipple between her fingers. It was difficult to think between that and Alexander between her legs; she had also never done anything like this to another woman. In some ways, her body was still a stranger, even to herself. No woman of her standing ought to do it, though she did indulge herself on occasion. 

Eliza's cunt was wet and slick to touch. That in itself wasn't too unusual from what Angelica knew. But the thatch of hair was more sparse, thinner, less wiry than her own. The angle was new and a little difficult to comprehend, but her mind was already spiralling thanks to Alexander. Eliza took her by the wrist and guided her hand firmer against her cunt, so she could rock against it, while Alexander had already pressed two fingers inside of her and had his tongue wedged between them. It was intoxicating to hear Eliza moan like that, as she pressed down on the heel of Angelica's hand and rocked her hips back and forth. Angelica ached to give her sister a gift, as wonderful as any other. 

'Come here,' she whispered up to her. Her voice was thick, with a level of arousal she hadn't heard from herself in so long. 'Let me kiss you.' 

Her sister didn't need to be told twice. Eliza cupped her face with one another and leant over, drawing Angelica into a deep kiss. It was as though she was mimicking what Alexander was doing to her cunt- and, quite possibly, she was. Angelica's thumb pressed against her clit, her fingertips pushing inside. Never had she felt something as soft or as hot as Eliza was then, gasping upon her mouth as she tried to coax her sister further. 

Slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, Eliza began to lay down next to her. The change in angle was a little difficult for Angelica, and she struggled to keep moving her hand. Before she could find a compromise, though, Alexander had lifted his head. He was breathing hard, lips and short beard glistening in the low candlelight. He kissed her inner thigh, the dip of her pelvis, and looked up at her. His cock was heavy and hard, and Angelica felt it brush against her leg as he slid over her and went to push Eliza onto her back. 

Although her thumb was still pressed against Eliza's clit (as best as the position allowed), that mattered little to Alexander. His tongue swiped over it, licking where Angelica's hand wasn't covering. With her leg still draped over his back, he reached under her thigh and ran his own fingers against Angelica's cunt, refusing to let her arousal drop, to let her believe for a moment she was forgotten. 

Of course he'd multitask. Of course he'd try to focus on them both, to prove he could do it. His mind was quick enough for both of them, his lust insatiable and his desire to have them both reaching breaking point. Angelica watched as his hips rolled against the mattress, listened as he groaned, felt his tongue press against her fingers as she slid them into Eliza's cunt. Beside her, Eliza gave a thin, wavering moan, her own hips lifting as she pressed against both of them, her head falling back on the pillow. 

'Angelica.' 

'Eliza.' 

Lips pressed to her temple and Angelica gave a small gasp as Alexander's fingers twisted within her. 

'I want him to fuck you.' Eliza's voice came out in a hush, a whisper, a secret against her ear. 'I want to hold you as he does it. Like you did for me.' 

'Eliza- ' 

' _Please_ , sister.' 

Upon hearing their breathless muttering, Alexander had lifted his head. Angelica looked at him again, watching as he kissed Eliza's hip and belly, just under her navel. It was always impossible to deny Eliza anything, especially when it was something she ached for herself. 

'Yes,' she finally agreed. 'Yes, I'd like that.' 

Eliza gasped. Her head fell back and her lips parted. Angelica watched as her hands tugged at Alexander's hair to haul him up, where upon she kissed him, despite his cunt-slick lips. She moaned against his mouth that she wanted him to take Eliza, here, _now_ , in their bed that shared each night in the summer. 

And though he must have heard her pleadings before, as Eliza begged Angelica for it, he still stalled. Angelica had to give him respect for that. His cock, heavy and hard and beading precome against his belly, twitched at the thought of it. A hungry look came over him as his eyes darted once over to her, and then back down at his wife. Eliza cupped his face, thumbs wiping his mouth clean, and she nodded again. 

'I want this,' she whispered. 'What other gift can compare, to giving my sister the pleasure of her husband?' 

'Eliza...' 

'You can have me in the morning. Before breakfast. For now, I want to hold Angelica while she has you.' 

Before he could protest further, whether he was being truthful or not, Eliza nudged him aside. She sat up, pushing him towards Angelica. Never had she seen her so adamant before, so forceful in what she wanted. There was a flash of that mischievous smile, that glint in her eyes as she rolled onto her side and pulled Angelica flush against her body. The mattress dipped and the bed creaked as Alexander slid in her behind her, leaving her pressed between the two of them. 

Naked skin, her thighs slick with arousal, and Angelica only now realised how hot it was. Sweat clung to her bare flesh, but Eliza seemed cool. Her breasts heaved as she sucked down air, her hand roaming over Angelica's body as Alexander kissed her shoulder and the back of her neck in a peculiarly tender way. The feeling of his cock against the curve of her ass had her audibly groan and rock towards Eliza. 

A hand curled over her thigh- Eliza. Slim fingers, lifting her leg up to draw over her hips. Alexander's cock slid against the cleft of her ass, and Angelica felt Eliza's angling him in the right direction. Angelica's mind whirled as she felt the first press of the head of his cock against her, pressing in as Eliza rubbed circles against her clit. Behind her, Alexander swore in her ear, and Angelica couldn't help but share the sentiment, right as Eliza kissed her and muffled the curse. 

_Oh_ , she was filled with such an exquisite, slow heat. Eliza's hand ran across her clit and cunt, down to Alexander's cock, smearing against both of them as she kissed hungrily and deeply. Angelica's heel pressed against her ass, keeping her close as Alexander thrust slowly, one hand pinching her hip as he slid his cock in, inch by inch. And though guilt swirled low in her belly, it was easy to ignore with every kiss from Eliza upon her lips, each kiss from Alexander on her shoulder. 

Maybe Eliza was right. Maybe this was forgivable, what with it being a gift from her sister and legal brother. Her husband was kind, if plain, and treated her well, even if he was dull. But Angelica had pined for her sister while in London and ached for her brother-in-law with an intense passion for years. She was being satiated for the first time in waking memory. 

As Eliza drew a moan from her as she rubbed her clit and Alexander grunted in her ear, Angelica felt them kiss over her shoulder. She turned her head, intending only to watch, only to find her lips upon her face. 

Her orgasm came as a surprise. Perhaps it shouldn't have, given Alexander knew what he was doing and Eliza was so enthusiastically helping. But Angelica, who throughout most of her adult life had left the marital bed unfinished and unhappy, so rarely experienced anything close. 

Alexander had an arm around her waist, Eliza had an arm under her breasts, and Angelica could only cling to her. Her body thrummed as Alexander rocked into her, and her eyes rolled back as Eliza pressed her fingers against her clit. Her moan was long and slow and drawn out, and though it occurred to her briefly that perhaps she ought to be repaying the favour somehow to Eliza, she couldn't quite bring herself to move. 

Everything within her felt alive. That was a peculiar notion in itself, but Angelica had no other idea on how to conceive it. Her breath felt sharp and fresh in her lungs, her belly burned with a white-hot heat, her fingers and toes tingled with possibility. Eliza kissed her sweetly and Alexander nipped at the side of her neck, and all Angelica could think to herself was that she ought to try to thank them at some point. 

It wasn't until Alexander pulled away from her, disentangling their limbs, and let Eliza embrace her sister fully that it dawned on Angelica that he had spilled inside of her. Her thighs were sticky, cunt wet, and Eliza's fingers slipped into her easily as she coaxed the last of her trembling orgasm from her. 

'My beloved Eliza.' 

'My sweetest Angelica.' 

'I'll find a towel.' 

As Alexander excused himself, Angelica found herself falling into a fit of giggles as Eliza cupped her face and kissed her fervently. Although Angelica knew that the ecstasy of night had a way of making problems seeming infinitely trivial and insignificant, she couldn't yet will herself to think of that as she lay in her sister's arms. They had always been close; this was an inevitable step. 

* 

The weather began to turn cool over the week. Clouds rolled into the sky, the night winds began to grow longer. The sun set earlier and rose later. It was time for their summer vacation to end. 

Alexander received a letter from New York, asking for his return to Congress. He read it over breakfast, and the children pouted as their father explained he would need to leave. Eliza understood why he had to go, and though she would doubtless miss him, she did not fight hard for him to stay. They would be packing up shortly, at any rate, and would be following him before the end of the month. 

Kisses were pressed to the children's cheeks as he left, and Angelica stood back to allow he and his wife time to utter their promises and short-term farewells. Clasping her hands in front of her, she allowed contentment to wash over her. No jealousy, no envy, but a peace that had been strangely unfamiliar for some time. 

Eliza reached her hand out to Angelica, and coaxed her forward into their fold. 

'I trust that you'll take care of my wife, Angelica?' Alexander asked, as she leant over and kissed him on the cheek. 

'Better than you ever will,' she said coyly. 'And I trust you'll behave on your own?' 

'If you hear anything, rest assured Thomas Jefferson started it.' 

Angelica laughed low, nodded, and let him have it. She couldn't fault him for that. 

If the three of them appeared closer during their last days together by the lake, then it wasn't remarked upon by anyone. Angelica and Eliza had always been close, and the pair of them had always been affectionate with Alexander. Perhaps people would assume that whatever slight had passed between Angelica and Alexander had passed, perhaps they would assume a disagreement in London had sent her skittering back to her family. Angelica would let them believe what they liked, if it brought them comfort. 

The last of their days were spent lazing by the lake, taking advantage of the still pleasant weather. Once again, Angelica found Eliza's head upon her lap, as she held an umbrella up to block the sun. The weather may have cooled, but her skin would still burn. 

'Will you please allow me the privilege of knowing what you're reading now, dear sister?' Angelica asked as Eliza closed her book and laid it upon her chest. 

Looking up at her, Eliza furrowed her brow as she thought about it. Then, with a sigh, she peeled back the false cover and raised it up for Angelica to study. 

_Thérèse Philosophe_. Therese the Philosopher. Angelica had never heard of it. 

'It's a delightful French book. Lafayette left it behind when he returned to France, amongst other books. Mulligan gave Alexander a chest of them. I found it.' 

'What's it about?' Angelica asked, flicking it open. Her French had never been as good as Eliza's, though she imagined it was far better than Alexander's. 

'Oh. Philosophy. Enlightenment. Religion and its place in society.' 

Angelica raised her eyes and levelled Eliza with an even stare. She flicked through the pages, as though she could read it with such a casual air as her sister. On her lap, Eliza shifted a little, clearly uncomfortable with the bold-faced lie. 

'It's erotic.' 

'Oh. I thought you said it's religious?' 

'It's layered. Erotica can be layered.' 

'Eliza, I'm aghast.' 

Her sister reached up and cupped her cheek. Her thumb swept under her ear as she laughed lightly. 

'And yet I didn't find you complaining when the novel emboldened me to have you join me and Alexander in bed.' 

The topic had been skirted around and never quite yet directly spoken about. It felt unnatural, not just for Angelica, but also, she imagined, for Eliza and Alexander. Her brother-in-law faced things head-on, like Angelica, and despite her delicate nature, Eliza had never been fond of letting topics go unsaid. But none of them had yet found the words to speak of what occurred. 

Angelica had stayed with them the morning after. She had joined them twice more after that. And once, Eliza had slipped into her bed as she slept alone in her room, begging to taste her sister the way Alexander did. Nothing had felt quite as deliciously sinful as that, and she was certain Alexander had been careful to avoid her eye the following day. 

'I could read it to you,' Eliza offered. 'Before bed. I know your listening skills are far better than your reading.' 

'You wound me,' Angelica replied, mock-offended. But she smiled, closed the book, and passed it back. 'But yes. I suppose I'd enjoy that. I know you spent a great deal of time reading it to Alexander. It would only be fair to have shared the same experience.' 

A soft laugh passed between the two of them. Eliza sat up, her hair spilling over her shoulders, and squeezed Angelica's hand. Lowering the umbrella, Angelica squinted at her sister's face and lightly tapped her on the tip of her nose. 

'You're burnt. I told you we ought to stay inside.' 

'An _gel_ ica,' Eliza sighed. 

'E _liz_ a.' 

She stood, helping her sister to her feet as she did. They dusted the dirt off each other's skirts, and hand-in-hand went back to the house to prepare for the trip home. 


End file.
